5571

1850-O $20 AU53 NGC. This issue is the first New Orlea

Currency:USD Category:Coins & Paper Money / US Coins Start Price:57.00 USD Estimated At:1.00 - 1,000,000.00 USD
1850-O $20 AU53 NGC. This issue is the first New Orlea
<B>1850-O<$20> AU53 NGC.</B></I> This is an example of the "High Mintmark" variety, briefly mentioned by Bowers in <I>A Guide Book of Double Eagle Gold Coins.</B></I> See the further discussion below. In 1835, Congress authorized branch Mints in Charlotte, North Carolina, Dahlonega, Georgia, and New Orleans, Louisiana. The Charlotte and Dahlonega Mints were only intended to produce gold coinage, while the New Orleans Mint was also authorized to coin silver, as well. At the time, massive discoveries of gold in California were not even imagined, and most gold arriving for coinage in New Orleans was from South and Central America. By 1850, the scene had changed and gold from the California gold fields was keeping New Orleans Mint personnel plenty busy. Production of double eagles began at once, and these large gold coins became the principal denomination of the New Orleans Mint.<BR> There exist two distinctly different mintmark positions, indicating that both reverse dies sent to New Orleans for the 1850-O double eagle coinage were actually used. This example has a large O mintmark joined to the eagle's tail, while some others have the mintmark about centered between the tail and the N of TWENTY. This example also represents Breen's Heavy Date variety with a Closed 5. It is a splendid representative from the heyday of New Orleans coinage operations. The surfaces have bright yellow gold with greenish tendencies. Both sides have the usual scattered surface marks and faint blemishes, with traces of rust colored verdigris along the obverse border at 2 o'clock. Nearly full mint luster remains, with reflective fields that were once fully prooflike. When it was first minted, this example must have been glorious.<BR><I>From The Wyoming Collection.</B></I>